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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · stick · charge · pitcher · cold · bore · mouse · foot

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. cold — not warm
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. current — of water
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. current — happening now
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bore — to drill
  19. charge — in control
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. charge — a price
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. cold — an illness
  24. foot — a measure

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com